1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a control method, and a recording medium storing a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses such as multi-function printers or multi-function peripherals that are constantly turned on may need ways to reduce energy consumption. In view of operational efficiency, these image forming apparatuses may need to be ready immediately for use whenever users desire to use the image forming apparatuses.
In order to improve energy-saving performance and usability, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-230688, for example, discloses a control technology to switch the unused image forming apparatus to an energy-saving mode, and restore the image forming apparatus from the energy-saving mode to a ready mode for use in advance, upon detecting, by a human body detector, a person approaching the image forming apparatus (see Patent Document 1). This technology enables the image forming apparatus to be in a ready mode to be ready for use whenever the users stand in front of the image forming apparatus.
The above-described control technology employing the human body detector has an important factor in setting a detection range (a detection distance). The related art control technology implemented in the human body detector may involve raising a threshold of detecting the presence of a human body when the unoperated image forming apparatus inefficiently repeats being restored from the energy-saving mode. This may interfere with setting a detection range appropriately. Too broad of a detection range may allow the human body detector to detect those who do not intend to use the image forming apparatus in addition to a user who desires to use the image forming apparatus to cause the image forming apparatus to be inefficiently restored from the energy-saving mode. On the other hand, too narrow detection range may prevent the image forming apparatus from being restored from the energy-saving mode when the user stands in front of the image forming apparatus.
The related art control technology to detect the user's approach may also be applied to various kinds of information processing apparatuses, which may have effects on the energy-saving performance and usability similar to those of the above-described image forming apparatuses.